Don't Pack Food or Beverages in Checked Luggage anymore... New policies..

[bmartin1206]

I forgot to mention, As a TSA employee, I highly recommend you carry your undeveloped film on or buy a film protector pouch. The baggage x-ray will be much harder on film and probably ruin it Airlines should be but have not been warning passengers of this or passengers are choosing to take their chances. It would be a shame to lose the memories of magic.

 

[sgtdisney]

One of the food items I heard specifically not to bring is those Holiday Fruitcakes.. That is if anyone still gives those.. They said on the news here the smell of the fruitcake will make the bomb sniffing dogs think it is a bomb.

I have one comment on this whole situation. I am all for a safer flying environment.. However none of this baggage searching, opening and X-raying would have done anything to prevent what happened on 9/11. My biggest fear is that these new policies will make the flying experience so difficult that you will see a futher decline in people flying and ultimately more bankrupt airlines... As a side note, my inlaws are from Cuba, and when they have travelled there to help family (legally) they search your bags there.. But, they do it in front of you, while they watch.

Anyway, if this decline in load levels and people travelling by air continues, I wouldn't be surprised to see only 4 or 5 surviving airlines and the entire industry re-regulated.. If this happens you can kiss the low fare flights good bye. I don't know if anyone remembers when the airlines were regulated before, but the airlines had to charge what the seats actually cost and 'cheap flights' to MCO from say Chicago will be over 400.00 if you are lucky if this happens...

 

[bmartin1206]

We have a good idea that passengers and crew members were injured or killed on board some or all flights (does box cutter ring a bell?) . Recently it was suggested that pepper spray may have been used to subdue passengers. These are items we screen for. We take nothing for granted anymore. Fool us once, shame on you, fool us twice... Unfortunately in our sue happy society we are forced to include all for the behavior of few. If we have made it harder for a terroist to get on a plane with the intent of taking it down we are certainly not going to give the terrorist an opportunity to plant a bomb. They've already shown they are willing to die taking as many of us as they can with them.
Have you flown lately? Over Thanksgiving, the busiest travel holiday of the season, average wait at our airport was 7 minutes from end of line to get through security. That's not bad.
Some airports wil do bag searches in front of you. Others like ours just were not originally built with the space necessary to accomadate this. Having said that we will have a new airport in the next 5 years which should allow us to do so. Everybody needs to adjust to the best of their abilities.
Don't blame air travel level on security measures. If you're in that big of a hurry you've got other issues to look at and prioritize in my opinion.

 

[mom2of2]

This is just MHO but......the airlines are just doing their jobs by searching us and our belongings. I for one feel safer knowing that they are being more diligent. If someone touching your toothbrush, dirtie undies or breaking your lock open bothers you that much then.... DRIVE. Sorry, but someone touching my things doesn't bother me when I think that my life as well as my children's lives are at stake.
Sorry to upset anyone but that's just my opinion

 

[SamSam]

I have flown several times this past year and am grateful for the extra security. As far as locks on suitcases go, it doesn't bother me to leave mine unlocked. If employees are going to open your suitcases to steal items, a little suitcase lock won't stop them. Many times in keys fit multiple locks and if someone wants in your baggage, they will be able to get in; lock or no lock.
I also am a knitter and although I find it annoying not to be able to take my normal long wood needles, I understand that they would make very effective weapons so see the need not to allow them. I now take the shorter circular needles ( which I don't particularly like), and haven't had a problem in 6 different flights.
It's a difficult time right now, and I'd rather the airlines take extra precautions even though it means a little less freedom for me.

 

[Muffy]

Do you think a toaster in your checked luggage will trigger a search? I will put shoes on top but wonder if shoes trigger a search also? We will be flying soon and I want to do everything correctly! Thanks.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by bmartin1206
We have a good idea that passengers and crew members were injured or killed on board some or all flights (does box cutter ring a bell?) .

My point was that none of the items used on 9/11 was in anyone's checked luggage. Opening checked bags would have have done nothing to prevent that. In fact , it has been suggested that those items may have already been on those planes waiting for the terrorists.

Originally posted by bmartin1206
Don't blame air travel level on security measures. If you're in that big of a hurry you've got other issues to look at and prioritize in my opinion.

I am not blaming what has happened recently on the security measures. My stance is wait and see what these new measures do to it. I guess what I mean is that this may just be another nail in thei coffin of some of the airlines. I have talked to 3 families who are now planning on driving to Florida when they had planned to fly. I don't know if you were directing your comment about being in a hurry to me, but I am not in a hurry at all when I travel. I am all for the the recent upgrades to the security checkpoints that people and carryon must go through. I always get to the airport about 2 hours early, it is force of habit, my Dad used to be an airline pilot. However my fear is that much of this is all 'window dressing' so to speak. I have known a few people personally who have items stolen from luggage. While the locked luggage may not completely prevent theft, it is a slight deterrant and takes more time to open. I just wonder now, when luggage is pilferized, if it will be the airline, or the government, who will be financially responsible to replace the missing items.

 

[dcfromva]

bmartin1206

Have you flown lately? Over Thanksgiving, the busiest travel holiday of the season, average wait at our airport was 7 minutes from end of line to get through security.

We have flown lately--and we did fly over Thanksgiving. We went through BWI, PHX and ONT--overall, the screeners were very pleasant and professional and I don't believe we waited as long as 5 minutes to get through at any of the security points. From my point of view, I believe that the screening process HAS improved dramatically.
Since 9-11, we have taken flights from BWI to ALB, BDL (X2), MCO (X2), ONT (X2), PHX, TPA and SEA...
We cancelled our flight from BWI-MHT last year because of security. We were flying on SWA--got to the airport 4 hours early, received the 1st 3 boarding passes distributed and were 1,2 and 3 in line of the first boarding group. Just as the boarding process had begun, the whole pier was evacuated--everyone had to be screened again because some deficiency had been discovered in the first screening process. We went from 1,2 and 3 in line getting ready to board the plane to having hundreds of people ahead of us in line to be re-screened..... Since we were just going for a weekend trip--by noon, we decided to cancel and try it another time....
Since that time, TSA has taken over--the screening process has been much, much, much better! The airport evacuations were the thing that made us a little timid--and I believe they have become quite a bit rarer with the new TSA procedures. You still have to think about it (but, not as much)--like if you fly through DEN (just a stop over) where it might be below freezing---and you are going from 1 warm spot to the next--would you think to carry your coat with you in case the entire terminal DEN is evacuated and everyone has to go outside in the freezing cold for hours while everyone gets re-screened.... It's just another reality for which we should be prepared.

--DC

 

[momof2OH]

If they are using these to search luggage and or people...what do they or are they going to do when a person is very allergic to the Latex gloves?

 

[dcfromva]

momof2OH

If they are using these to search luggage and or people...what do they or are they going to do when a person is very allergic to the Latex gloves?

That is a very good question.... I'm wondering how they handle that now?

-DC

 

[Lisa P.]

When a patient is allergic to latex gloves, they may usually still be safely examined by a caregiver wearing them... the patient just cannot wear the gloves nor bandage material made with latex. In the several different ER's where I've worked over the years, I've never seen nor heard of a single case where I was unable to wear latex gloves to examine someone. So examination of luggage or a clothed passenger by an examiner wearing gloves ought not be an issue. And one post above stated that cloth gloves were available to them.

As for the general health risks to the public when handling their personal effects...

Consider all the people/strangers who try on clothing before we try them on and purchase them... all the people who handle our dishware in restaurants with their bare hands... all those who handles doorknobs, telephone handsets, sink spigots, water fountain dispensers, ATM keypads, admission media and regular, good ol' cold hard cash before we do... consider all those who sit or lean on the upholstered furnishings in public places, including your hotel lobby sofa, doctor's waiting room or your airline seat!

Then realize that, for all but the most seriously immuno-suppressed person (chemo-patient, hospitalized HIV, etc.), the health risks involved in a security staff member handling our luggage is probably miniscule if it even exists at all. Don't underestimate your body's natural protections. You're probably much more resistent than you realize.

 

[buzz2400]

Someone asked previously, how do you cut the tie off if your scissors are in your suitcase? Does anyone have suggestions. I am for the added security however I am afraid that once unlocked luggage passes through the federal employees hands and into the hands of the people who put the luggage on the planes, there will be a lot of things stolen. There has been theft before when you have your luggage locked and now they will have an easier time. I hated carrying on a small suitcase because I am not that tall and to have to lift the suitcase above my head is very hard. Now I will have to hold up the people behind me because now I will have carry on my "mementos".

 

[momof2OH]

I am pretty sure that there are people out there that are severely allergic to Latex that they can't even have someone touch you with them....I know because I have this severe of an allergy to Latex as well as PVC. So, for me I am concerned about them touching my things with Latex gloves on, especially if they do any type of searches without my knowing about it. also- I am not trying to start a debate about this, I was just inquiring about what a person would do with this type of allergy.

 

[bmartin1206]

It's a valid concern. To answer your question, we use plastic or cotton gloves, not latex for this reason.

 

[bmartin1206]

Excellant points Lisa P.

 

[momof2OH]

So basicly we should just tell them at the airport that we have this type of allergy. For me, it's become second nature to tell everyone that might use latex gloves for anything that I have this allergy.

 

[Free4Life11]

Never been on a plane before...going next month for the first time!

I'm a little nervous as I don't know what it will be like flying but I'm willing to try anything!

A few questions:

I am planning to take my bathroom stuff on my carry on. Will they allow 2 disposable razors?? I have that in there...I mean it's no biggie if they took them.

Can I bring my cell phone, cd player, etc. on the plane?? Someone told me you can't use them while flying??

Also, if I pack my clothes in plastic ziplock bags would that make it easier. That way they wouldn't have to touch all my clothes.


thanks so much!!

-matt

 

[bmartin1206]

The answer to all is yes. But be aware, justr because your clothes are in plastic does not mean we will not do a thorough search and remove if necessary. Don't take scissors or knives in your carry on. Go to TSA.gov foe other info.

 

[Candlelady]

Thanks for starting this informative thread

We'll be flying next month and planned to pack a soft sided cooler with frozen food to be checked in. The food will be in clear foodsaver bags so it's not as if security would have to open containers or unwrap foil. They won't open airtight bags will they? Will this be a problem?

 

[dcfromva]

Lisa P.

Consider all the people/strangers who try on clothing before we try them on and purchase them... all the people who handle our dishware in restaurants with their bare hands... all those who handles doorknobs, telephone handsets, sink spigots, water fountain dispensers, ATM keypads, admission media and regular, good ol' cold hard cash before we do... consider all those who sit or lean on the upholstered furnishings in public places, including your hotel lobby sofa, doctor's waiting room or your airline seat!

Those are all really good points--the trying on of clothes does remind me, though, that you are not allowed to try on bathing suits without wearing underwear, nor are you allowed to return bathing suits. You can not try on earrings, nor can you return them to the store due to health laws. In regards to the restuarant workers, they are not going from person to person and they are supposed to wash their hands and some restuarants have a requirement to wear gloves. In regards to all the other items you mentioned, that is a good reminder that one should always wash their hands before eating, especially when out in public. I was just reading up on Hepatitis A recently--how you get it is attributed to unsanitary practices (such as an infected person not doing proper hand washing) Hepatitis A can survive for hours on inert surfaces--such as a table and the incubation periods is so long that once a case is identified, it is almost impossible to trace the source. This is a CDC statistic 31.3% of the US population ever infected with Hep A --I found that pretty shocking, but maybe there is more to that statistic than I understand. Of the ways Hep A is spread, 44% of the cases could not be traced. That is almost 1/2 of the cases.
I know most folks don't think they fall into the high risk group for Hepatits B, but this is information that I found on a web site aimed at teens--there are several ways to get Hep B such as coming into contact with bodily fluids but also listed were the following: Sharing needles, toothbrushes, or razors....
And that is where I get squeemish. The screener will not just be going through outer clothing, they will have to do a complete search of everything in the bag including all the personal care items. I wouldn't think that you as an ER worker would handle things that goes into someone's mouth (or whatever) and then go to another patient without either washing your hands or getting a new pair of gloves.... Am I wrong about that?
-DC